Sounding note board for music instruction

ABSTRACT

A sounding note board for music instruction is disclosed, comprising conductor bars being arranged below the board surface. The bars are connected with on/off switching means, each of them being arranged to switch a separate sound generator which is assigned to one particular bar. The output terminals of all sound generators are connected with the input of a common amplifier which feeds a speaker. The switching means are designed to form proximity switches, controlled by the respective bars. The proximity switches are operable by a person touching the board surface above the particular bar. The board provided with an ordinary writing layer may comprise an iron or magnetic layer which is arranged at such a distance from the writing surface that attachable magnetic or iron platelets adhere to the writing surface.

United States Patent [1 1 Honegger Aug. 28, 1973 SOUNDING NOTE BOARD FORMUSIC INSTRUCTION [76] Inventor: Max Honegger, 8143 Sellenburen,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Oct. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,160

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 27, 1970 Switzerland15852/70 June 17, 1971 Switzerland 8838/71 Aug. 11, 1971 Switzerland11791/71 [52] US. Cl. 84/471, 84/l.0l, 84/l.04, 84/DIG. 7 [51] Int. Cl.G09b 15/02 [58] Field of Search 84/l.01, 1.04, DIG. 7, 84/470-485;200/52 R [56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,637 2/1959Herold 84/1.04 3,429,216 2/1969 Lawrence 84/477 X 3,479,440 11/1969Martin et a1. 84/1.24 X 3,492,440 l/ 1970 Cerbone et al. 200/52 R3,507,970 4/1970 Jones 84/1.01 3,598,891 8/1971 Adachi 84/l.24

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson AssistantExaminer-U. Weldon A iti rhey l E. J. BerryanTLf Ros'en ABSTRACT Asounding note board for music instruction is disclosed, comprisingconductor bars being arranged below the board surface. The bars areconnected with on/off switching means, each of them being arranged toswitch a separate sound generator which is assigned to one particularbar. The output terminals of all sound generators are connected with theinput of a common amplifier which feeds a speaker. The switching meansare designed to form proximity switches, controlled by the respectivebars. The proximity switches are operable by a person touching the boardsurface above the particular bar. The board provided with an ordinarywriting layer may comprise an iron or magnetic layer which is arrangedat such a distance from the writing surfacev that attachable magnetic oriron platelets adhere to the writing surface.

14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIEmmmza ms SHEEI10F3 Fig.1

TONE GENERATOR Fig. 2

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Fig. 3

mtmeomzams I I 3.754495 SHEET 3 BF 3 FIG.5

PLATELETS WRITING LAYER INSULATION 60 N D UCT I V E 1 L AY E RW//////////$57///% Z:%////; I N S U L A T I 0 N i ADHESIVE v MAGNETIZEDLAYER ADHESIVE SUPPORTING LAYER SOUNDING NOTE BOARD FOR MUSICINSTRUCTION The present invention concerns a sounding note board formusic instruction, comprising conductor bars which are arranged belowthe board surface and which are each assigned to a particular pitch ortone and which are connected to switching means for the switching-on ofthe sound generators assigned to the particular pitches or tones.

There are known systems of sounding note boards for music instructioncomprising conductor bars arranged below and between the staff lines andeach connected to an electric sound generator which, when a note isindicated by a pointer also connected to the said generator, causes theparticular tone to sound. In one of the known note boards of this type,the conductor bars are arranged on the board surface, and switch-on ofan electric sound generator is effected by galvanic contact between theconductor bar and the pointer.

In another known version, the electric conductor bars are arranged belowan insulating writing layer, so that the board can be easily written on.The conductor bars are each connected to a sound generator by a switch,while the sound generators have on their output side a common amplifierconnected to a loudspeaker. Connection of a sound generator is effectedby touching the board with a cane connected to the board by a cord.Conductor bar and cane carry an alternating voltage, and touching theboard capacitively closes an ac circuit containing a relay. A drawbackof this system is that an electric shock is received when the tip of theotherwise insulated pointer is touched, and the fact'that the cane isconnected to the board by a cable is also considered a nuisance.

Moreover, it is desirable for an audio-visual presentation of musicinstruction that thesounded notes should also be visible. Besides thetraditional writing-up of the notes with chalk, it is also desirable torepresent individual notes, chords or melodies by magnetic markers.There are known boards consisting of .an iron plate or coated with aniron-containing compound, so that permanent magnet markers easily adhereto the board. However, this system cannot be readily transferred to asounding note board according to the present invention. As theelectrodes arranged below the board surface may only be a very shortdistance from the surface in order to ensure certain response of theproximity switches when the electrodes are touched, it is not readilypossible to make a board with the necessary electrodes and an iron ormagnetic surface meeting the wear and quality requirements of schoolservice. For electrical reasons, the iron or magnetic layer cannot bearranged between electrodes and board surface, as the electrodes wouldbe screened and would not respond. On the other hand, the embedding. ofconventional electrodes would require such a great layer thickness thatthe provision of an iron or magnetic layer under the electrodes wouldnot with certainty produce the dc sires result, as the distance betweeniron layer and magnetic markers would be too great to ensure properadherence of the markers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sounding noteboard requiring neither pointer nor cable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a note board whosematerial and layer sequence are such that it can also be used as amagnetic board.

The said objects are achieved by the present invention in that theswitching means in conjunction with the conductor bars have the form ofproximity switches which are operable by a person touching the boardsurface at the chosen point of the note pattern, for which result aparticular signal level at the conductor bar which is fed to the inputof the associated switching means is underpassed or exceeded,respectively, under the influence of the persons body capacity, so that,

when the particular signal level is exceeded, the sound generatorassigned to the particular switching means is switched on.

By suitable choice of material and layer thickness for the writingsurface the electrodes and the necessary insulating layers it ispossible to obtain the right distance for achieving the second object.

To ensure dependable switching even in a weak ambient field, as in astrongly screening building, a conductor connected to an alternatingvoltage generator may be fitted into the board or arranged near it forthe purpose of exciting a local electric field.

By suitable arrangement of the conductor bars and suitable constructionof the board surface it is possible to provide a board which isespecially suitable for instructing blind music students.

As the board can be made to sound simply by touching,it, as with thefinger, it is also possible to play chords on it by simultaneouslytouching it with several fingers. This is not possible with a boardusing a single pointer.

Embodiments of the present invention are now to be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the block circuit diagram of a tone with the associatedhalf-tones;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the proximity switch 11, 12 according toFIG. 1;,

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of a ring conductor designed to set up anelectric alternating field;

' FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an embodiment suitable for blindstudents instruction; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through the note board, on amagnified scale, illustrating somewhat diagramatically a suitablelaminated layer sequence in accordance with the present invention.

The note board comprises conductor bars which correspond to the tonesand which are arranged in a board body and are mutually insulated andscreened and are located below the board surface, in particular below awriting layer presenting the staff lines. The electrical equipment isarranged at the edge of the board, for instance, along a narrow side andembedded in a recess of the board body.

According to FIG. 1, the electrical assembly for each tone comprises aconductor bar 11 which is connected as an electrode to a switching.means 12 and screened from neighbouring conductor bars by a screening13, and further comprises a sound generator 14 for the key note and twosound generators l5, 16 for the lower and higher half-tones,respectively, a plug socket 17 in the line from the switching means 12to the sound genera tors, a switch 18 for cutting off the soundgenerators, a change-over switch 19 for contacting the key notegenerator 14 or half-tone generator, and a change-over switch forcontacting the sound generator 15 for the lower half-tone or the soundgenerator 16 for the higher half-tone. All sound generators are jointlyconnected to an amplifier 21 which is connected to a speaker 22. Theplug socket 17 is designed for connection of other sound generators,such as sound generators of another timbre, or for connection of anelectric musical instrument, such as an organ, with provision forplaying from the note board to the organ, or from the organs keyboard tothe note board. However, the plug socket 17 can also be used to connecta signal lamp for optical tone indication, possibly with differentcolours for the individual tones.

The switching means 12, which together with the electrode 11 forms acapacitive proximity switch, is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. Itcomprises a resistor 23 connected in series with a capacitor 24; theresistor 23 is connected to the negative terminal, while the capacitor24 is connected across a resistor 25 to positive terminal connected toan external voltage source. The electrode 11, having the form of aconductor bar, is coupled across a capacitor 26 to that circuit. Alsoconnected to this input voltage divider is the base of a transistor 27,the collector of which is connected across a potentiometer 28 and aresistor 29 to positive potential and is connected across a resistor 30to the base of a second transistor 31. The collector of transistor 31 isconnected to a relay 32 for actuating toner or sound generator 99 byclosing switch 98 to energizing power supply 97. The emitters of the twotransistors are connected across a joint resistor 33 to negativepotential.

In the idle state, i.e., when the note board is not being touched, thecollector-emitter circuit of the first transistor 27 carries a lowcurrent determined by the values of the resistors 28 and 29.

The base of the transistor 31 is connected to negative emitterpotential, so that the transistoris cut off. When the note board istouched with the finger at a point of the conductor bar, this, owing tothe capacitive coupling, picks up a substantially stronger ambientsignal. This ambient signal is amplified by the transistor 27 andproduces a greater voltage drop at the resistor 29. As a result, thebase potential of the transistor 31 changes by virtue of the voltagedrop across the resistor 30, so that the transistor 31 becomesconductive and energizes the relay 32, switching on the associated soundgenerator 99. To ensure that the relay 32 is properly energized and doesnot flutter, a capacitor 34 and a diode 35 are connected in parallel tosmooth the amplified ac voltage.

As soon as the finger is removed from the note board and the ambientsignal picked up by the conductor bar is therefore weakened, the secondtransistor 31 remains cut off, the relay 32 de-energizes and switchesoff the sound generator. The response voltage for the second transistor31 can readily be adjusted by the potentiometer 28.

It is expedient to provide the note board 95 with a ring conductor whichis connected to an ac. voltage generator and which sets up a constantambient field which is always sufficient to make the switching meansrespond when the note board is touched. FIG. 3 shows, by way of example,a ring conductor with two loops 36, 37 connected to an a.c. voltagegenerator 38. Such a ring conductor may preferably be arranged along thelower edge of the board 95 behind the writing layer or at any otherpoint within the influence range of the board.

Instead of using the capacitive proximity switch described, it is ofcourse possible to use any other switch of the type whose switchingstate changes when approached to the associated conductor bar.

Also, to refine the sound pattern, it is possible to use a socalled windgenerator 40, which consists of a noise generator for a particular noisespectrum and which superimposes an adjustable percentage of desireddistortion on the generally sinusoidal signal of the sound generators.In this arrangement, the wind generator may be either connected directlyin parallel with the outputs of the sound generators, or it may bearranged to act on each sound generator separately, as illustrated inFIG. 1, by distorting the supply voltage. With such a wind generator itis possible to simulate the wind effect of flutes or other windinstruments, for instance. This provides a sound pattern more pleasingthan that of the undistorted sinusoidal signal of the sound generators.

To facilitate music instruction, it is convenient to be able quickly toreplace a note sequence on the board, such as a melody, by another notesequence, such as another melody. For this purpose, the board may beoverlaid with a sheet of felt, for instance, which can be removablyaffixed by press or adhesive fastenings, for instance, and to whichnotes or symbols provided with a rough surface can be attached.

Again, it is possible to affix foils, such as plastic sheet, preferablytransparent and provided with notes and symbols, to the board. The noteboard described is operable through the affixed felt and the notesattached thereto as well as through such a foil.

Yet again, the board can be so designed as to be suitable forinstructing blind'music students. In this case, markers perceivable bythe touch are placed on the board surface, so that the note board can bemade to sound simply by touching the board surface at the points marked.Where such a board is to be used for the instruction of blind studentsexclusively, the staff lines and the writing layer can be dispensedwith.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the board 1, which in essentialscorresponds to the board described above, presents touch lines 2, whichmay rise beyond the board surface 3. The degree of rise shown in thedrawing is greatly exaggerated. Let into the board below the touch lines2 or below the spaces are the conductor bars, which are connected toswitching means for switching on sound generators. Each touch line 2 isassigned to a particular pitch.

Viewed in the board user's direction of sight A, the touch lines 2 inthis embodiment are vertical, and not horizontal as in an embodimentpresenting the ordinary staff lines. The vertical position presentsimportant didactic advantages in the instruction of blind people. Asblind people cannot read the written notation anyway, an instructionsystem used for such people exclusively need not conform to the ordinarysystem.

The degree of rise of the touch lines 2 beyond the board surface 53should be such that it is sufficient for easy touch detection while nothindering easy sliding over the touch lines.

Instead of having the touch lines 2, it is of course possible to use anyother raised marks to mark the points at which the particular conductorbars are located below the board surface.

In a preferred version, the board is made in such a manner that it canbe overlaid with thin sheets which can be provided with instructionprograms in Braille, for instance. However, the thickness of such asheet must not exceed a certain limit if the capacitive proximityswitches connected to the conductor bars located below the board surfaceare still to respond with certainty when the sheet surface is touched.In such a case, markers directly placed on to the board surface may beunnecessary, so that a board with a perfectly clear surface may be used.The sheets or matrices can be affixed to the board in a simple manner,as by press fasteners 4. Instead, any other type of fastener, such asinterlock fasteners, may be used. Such fasteners keep the sheet in thecorrect position with respect to the conductor bars and also keep itfrom being accidentally shifted.

A preferred version of a note board suitable for the placing of magneticmarkers consists, viewed in corsssection, of a supporting layercontaining impregnated kraft paper (phenolic paper), for instance. Overthis is an adhesive surface bearing a layer of sheet iron or apermanently magnetized layer. Over this again is another adhesive layerforming the transition to an insulating layer of impregnated kraftpaper. This insulating layer may have a thickness of 50 microns, forinstance. Over this is a layer which contains the electrodes and whichconsists of a copper-coated plastic sheet or an insulating foil coatedwith conductive varnish, for instance. This sheet or foil may have atotal thickness of about to 75 microns, for instance. Over this isanother layer of impregnated kraft paper 50 microns thick, for instance,and, if necessary, a writing layer, which is preferably provided withraised staff lines and has a thickness of about 50 microns.

In the manufacture of the board, the aforesaid layers are pressedtogether in a single operation, resulting in a very strong andhard-wearing board. The distance between the writing surface and theiron or magnetic layer is so small that magnetic or iron markers placedon the surface adhere very well.

In a preferred version, the staff lines are slightly raised above thewriting surface, so that they can also be easily identified by touch.

The magnetic or iron markers preferably have the shape of note heads andare also colour-coded for easier identification either of difierent tonelengths or of different pitches. Instead, it is possible to give themarkers other shapes, such as folklore figures, which are especiallysuitable for children for pedagogic reasons.

Of course, the board may be made entirely of flexible material, so thatit can be easily rolled up and carried. As the conductor bars are fixedto a flexible sheet and as the connections may be fixed to the samesheet, for instance, it is convenient to provide the board surface orunderside with a plug socket for connection to the other switchingmeans. At least part of these switching means can be accommodated in acase into which the board can be rolled up.

I claim:

1. Sounding note board means for music instruction, comprising aplurality of tone generator means for generating predetermined soundfrequencies, a board, a plurality of conductor bars positioned below asurface of the board, switching means operatively connecting saidconducting bars and said tone generator means for selective actuation ofthe latter in accordance with selection of particular ones of said barsby a player, said conductor bars constituting portions of proximityswitch means operable by a player touching the board surface at desiredlocations of a note pattern, whereby touching of said surface by a bodyportion of a player in the operating vicinity of a conductor bar causesits associated proximity switch means to be actuated causing saidswitching means to actuate a predetermined portion of said plurality oftone generator means, said board being provided with a writing layer andan iron or magnetic layer arranged at such a distance from the writingsurface that attachable magnetic or iron platelets adhere to the writingsurface.

2. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, including an alternatingvoltage generator, establishing an ambient field that is coupled to theoperating vicinity of said tone bars by a body portion of a player.

3. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the switchingmeans includes a section associated with each of said conductor bars,each of said sections of said switching means including at least oneelectronic switch connected by a bias circuit to the associatedconductor bar in such a manner that the electronic switch is cut off inits idle state and opens when the board surface in the operatingvicinity of the associated conductor bar is touched by a body portion ofa player.

4. Note board means as set forth in claim 3 in which each of theelectronic switches includes means for adjusting the sensitivitythereof.

5. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, also including anindividual plug operatively connected in circuit at a point between eachof said proximity switches and its associated tone generator means.

6. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which there areassociated with-each of said tone generator means half-tone generatorswhich oscillate at a halfstep lower and higher, respectively, than theassociated tone generator means, and additional switches for selectivelyswitching on said half-tone generators.

7. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, comprising noise generatormeans operatively connected to the tone generators and tone generatormeans which superimposes distortionson normally sinusoidal outputs ofsaid tone generators and tone generator means.

8. Note board according to claim 1, characterized in that the iron ormagnetic layer as viewed from the writing surface is arranged below theconducting bars.

9. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the board includeslayers in the following sequence:

a. writing layer b. insulating layer 0. layer bearing the conductingbars d. second insulating layer e. adhesive layer f. iron or permanentlymagnetized layer g. adhesive layer h. supporting layer.

10. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the board isprovided with stafi lines formed by raised ridges on the surface of theboard.

1 l. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the attachableplatelets are color-coded.

12. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the attachableplatelets are formed as symbolic figures.

13. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the conductorbars are vertical in the board as viewed by a player, and that there aremarkers associated with the conductor bars forming protrusions in frontof the board surface so as to be detectable by touch by a player feelingover the board surface.

14. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the board isconstructed entirely of flexible material.

1. Sounding note board means for music instruction, comprising aplurality of tone generator means for generating predetermined soundfrequencies, a board, a plurality of conductor bars positioned below asurface of the board, switching means operatively connecting saidconducting bars and said tone generator means for selective actuation ofthe latter in accordance with selection of particular ones of said barsby a player, said conductor bars constituting portions of proximityswitch means operable by a player touching the board surface at desiredlocations of a note pattern, whereby touching of said surface by a bodyportion of a player in the operating vicinity of a conductor bar causesits associated proximity switch means to be actuated causing saidswitching means to actuate a predetermined portion of said plurality oftone generator means, said board being provided with a writing layer andan iron or magnetic layer arranged at such a distance from the writingsurface that attachable magnetic or iron platelets adhere to the writingsurface.
 2. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, including analternating voltage generator, establishing an ambient field that iscoupled to the operating vicinity of said tone bars by a body portion ofa player.
 3. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which theswitching means includes a section associated with each of saidconductor bars, each of said sections of said switching means includingat least one electronic switch connected by a bias circuit to theassociated conductor bar in such a manner that the electronic switch iscut off in its idle state and opens when the board surface in theoperating vicinity of the associated conductor bar is touched by a bodypoRtion of a player.
 4. Note board means as set forth in claim 3 inwhich each of the electronic switches includes means for adjusting thesensitivity thereof.
 5. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, alsoincluding an individual plug operatively connected in circuit at a pointbetween each of said proximity switches and its associated tonegenerator means.
 6. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in whichthere are associated with each of said tone generator means half-tonegenerators which oscillate at a half-step lower and higher,respectively, than the associated tone generator means, and additionalswitches for selectively switching on said half-tone generators.
 7. Noteboard means as set forth in claim 1, comprising noise generator meansoperatively connected to the tone generators and tone generator meanswhich superimposes distortions on normally sinusoidal outputs of saidtone generators and tone generator means.
 8. Note board according toclaim 1, characterized in that the iron or magnetic layer as viewed fromthe writing surface is arranged below the conducting bars.
 9. Note boardmeans as set forth in claim 1, in which the board includes layers in thefollowing sequence: a. writing layer b. insulating layer c. layerbearing the conducting bars d. second insulating layer e. adhesive layerf. iron or permanently magnetized layer g. adhesive layer h. supportinglayer.
 10. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which the boardis provided with staff lines formed by raised ridges on the surface ofthe board.
 11. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which theattachable platelets are color-coded.
 12. Note board means as set forthin claim 1, in which the attachable platelets are formed as symbolicfigures.
 13. Note board means as set forth in claim 1, in which theconductor bars are vertical in the board as viewed by a player, and thatthere are markers associated with the conductor bars forming protrusionsin front of the board surface so as to be detectable by touch by aplayer feeling over the board surface.
 14. Note board means as set forthin claim 1, in which the board is constructed entirely of flexiblematerial.